


“Why Him?”

by MeMyselfandI2008



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Dream Sex, Drug Addiction, Drug Withdrawal, Fluff and Smut, French Kissing, Grinding, Leo is dealing with his problems in a not healthy manner, Leo is fucking in love you guys, M/M, Masturbation, One-Sided Attraction, Pre-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Romantic Fluff, Sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2019-03-25
Packaged: 2019-08-09 19:39:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16456049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeMyselfandI2008/pseuds/MeMyselfandI2008
Summary: Leo has an inner battle with himself, but loses.Or: He’s in love with an android and hates himself for it.Or, or: I was procrastinating, and this was the result.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Why did I write this? Hell if I know. Maybe I’ll continue this??? If anyone even likes it??? If anyone even reads this rare pair trash???
> 
> Either way, I hope you enjoy reading this mess.

How had the two even gotten into this situation?

Engulfed in darkness, with the only light coming from Markus’ LED, shirts torn off and tossed to the floor, the android over top of Leo, tangling themselves together in hopes of removing any space between them, lips locked and tongues dancing together, both out of breath, but unwilling to break apart for air.

A quiet moan had escaped Leo, wrapping his arms tighter around Markus, grinding his hips against the androids in sheer desperation for more contact.

They prayed Carl couldn’t hear them, even if his room was far away enough, and he was, no doubt, out cold, they couldn’t help but fear that if they made too much noise he would wake up.

“Markus,” Leo gasped out, panting heavily, lips swollen and sore, “What are we even doing?” he found himself asking, the question genuine. Markus slowed his movements, coming to a pause as he stared down at Leo with a sort of longing in his gaze, “I don’t know…” he replied, slowly, “I don’t know…”

A silence fell onto the room, only being broken by the light creaking of the mattress as Markus adjusted his position over Leo. The two stared at each other, pupils dilated, lust clouding their thoughts, need in their eyes, “Whatever this is… Whatever we’re doing…” Leo spoke up, voice soft, not wanting to speak any louder, for fear of being heard by his father, “I want… _Need_ more…” he said, quickly wrapping one of his legs around Markus’ hip, pulling the android closer, wanting the space between them to vanish, “I _need_ you, Markus.”

It sounded so desperate, and pleading. Leo hated the way it came out, but it was the truth, and he could care less about how it sounded with the state he was in. Markus was quick to act, removing any space between them, connecting their lips and letting out a soft moan. Their hands intertwined, with Markus removing part of his synthetic skin.

The two drowned in each other, grinding their hips against each other and letting their tongues dance together, the lust in the atmosphere suffocating. Both of them wanted more than this, wanted to be even closer, to lose themselves in the other, but neither wanted to be caught.

+

Leo sucked in a sharp breath and quickly sat up, sweat dripping down his forehead. He shifted his gaze around his surroundings, finding that he was still in his shitty, cheap ass apartment… Not his dad's house. Markus was nowhere to be found, and he could feel himself throbbing, in need of a touch, “Fuck,” he muttered, clutching at the bedsheets, “Fuck, fuck, _fuck_ ,” he repeated, running a hand through his damp hair, anger pulsing through his veins.

Of all the things he could of dreamt about, it had to be that stupid fucking android his dad replaced him with. That stupid android that Leo tried to push into the far corners of his thoughts with other fantasies he would deny ever having at the back of his mind.

_Give in._ His mind screamed, the fantasies he kept at bay begging to be let out and acknowledged. _Just give in and let yourself get lost in them._

He didn’t want to. But the more his thoughts urged him, the more he found his hand slowly cupping himself through his jeans, letting out a soft whimper, “Markus,” he quietly panted, “God, I want you,” he moaned, laying back down as he unbuttoned his pants, “Markus, please,” he begged, as if Markus was in the room with him, “ _Please_ ,” he repeated, lightly stroking himself.

Leo closed his eyes, going back to the dream, to Markus overtop of him, to the grinding of their hips, to the lust that suffocated the room.

“Shit,” he gasped, arching his back and thrusting his hips forward, “ _Markus_ ,” he moaned out, clutching at the bedsheets beneath him, hands trembling. He was so close. So fucking _close_.

His vision filled with stars, movements becoming quicker, hips rocking forward. Needy. He was so fucking _needy_ for a piece if plastic that wasn’t even _there_. God, he hated himself for this, hated how he was drowning in his thoughts, wanting Markus to physically be there with him, to be the one doing what he was doing. But, fucking hell, he’d be lying if he said it didn’t feel so goddamn blissful.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo decides to confide in a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... If you asked, you shall receive!
> 
> Honestly, I probably would have written more, even if no one asked, because I had a few ideas as to where this could go.
> 
> Anywho, hope you enjoy reading.

“Dude, hey.” 

Leo binked several times as someone rapidly snapped their fingers in front of his face, “Earth to Leo! Anyone in there?” Richard asked, somewhat annoyed that his friend hadn’t been paying attention to anything he’d been saying, “Where the hell have you been?” he questioned, shooting a sideways glare at Leo as he took a swig of his drink to try and calm his annoyance.

That was an excellent question that Leo did not have the answer to. Or, rather, he _did_ , but he’d prefer not bring it up. Not after last night... A shiver crawled up Leo’s spin at the recollection, hating himself even more the longer he thought about it, “It’s nothing,” he replied simply, taking a small sip from the beer can he held in his hand, lightly drumming his fingers on his knee, praying that the memories from last night would just let him be and leave in peace.

“Bullshit,” Richard stated, his voice a little softer than before, the anger slowly turning to that of concern, “I may be a dumbass more than half the time, but I can tell when something is bugging you,” he added, “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to, but I _am_ here if you need to talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you.”

A sigh escaped Leo’s lips as he sat back on the couch, gaze staring off into the distance, “If I tell you, you’ll fucking hate me,” he said quietly. That wasn’t a complete lie. Richard hated androids as much as Leo did, but for a completely different reason. Richard just didn’t like the idea of them doing all the work that people were meant to do, which is where the whole “I’m in love with an android, and shit,” probably wouldn’t end well for Leo. Though, now that he thought about it, he recalled the occasions where Richard would compare the current situation to the Wall-E movie. It was funny to hear him go on and on about it when the two ever got high on weed or some shit.

Leo smiled lightly at the memories, though it was short lived when his mind flashed to Markus. Richard stared at his friend, the concern turning into worry, “Dude, we’ve been friends for, what? Five years, now? Whatever it is, I doubt I’ll hate you for it,” he spoke up, giving Leo a small, reassuring smile. Leo took a deep breath, closing his eyes, silently debating on what to say and how to say it.

“You know my dad, right?”

“Yeah, course I do.”

There was a pause, Leo choosing his words very carefully, “I think...” he trailed off, recalling the first time he had ever seen Markus. He could remember every little detail about the android. He looked so at peace, his green eyes resting on Carl’s painting. The sunlight had seemed to hit him in the perfect place, giving him a yellow glow, like he was some sort of angel sent from the heavens. God, he looked so fucking beautiful...

An annoyed groan escaped Leo’s lips as he rubbed at his eyes with the palms of his hands. Shit, he really was in love, “I think I’m in love with someone that works with him,” he muttered, the sentence coming out quiet, barely even a whisper. Richard’s gaze never left Leo as he thought over a response, “Who is it?” he asked, “The person you like.”

Another pause as Leo carefully picked out words to say, so as not to alert Richard that he loved an android, “Just... Just this guy I see him talking to, sometimes. Real young, handsome,” he explained, “Could be a model if he wanted, type.”

Richard hummed in thought, “Well, do you plan on ever talking to this mystery man?”

Leo didn’t respond. He swallowed thickly, remembering how his first encounter with Markus had went, _“You think you can just replace me? Like I never fucking existed to begin with?”_ he had asked, anger seeping through him as he shot a hard glare at Markus, _“This fucking piece of plastic isn’t even alive! It’s a fucking android for_ Christ _sake!”_ _  
_

“Leo?” Richard spoke up after a long moment of silence, “The last time I talked to him, I acted like a complete jackass,” Leo managed, feeling a weight of guilt push down on him, “I was so fucking _jealous_ that he and my dad had such a close relationship, like they were family,” he explained, “And after that, I just treated him like shit every time I saw him,” he went on, “I want to apologize to him, but he just pisses me off, and I just get angry every time I’m near him.”

The light sound of rain hitting the opened window seemed to interrupt their conversation. Richard let out a soft curse, getting up from the couch and waking over to the window, closing it and latching it shut, “Did you want my advice about what to do?” he asked, turning to face Leo, who responded with a small shrug, “You should try and talk to both of them. Maybe clear the air, ya know? Tell them you care about them and want to make things better,” he stated. Leo hummed softly, thinking over the advice, “Maybe... I don’t know.”

“And whatever you do, don’t fuck it up,” Richard quickly added, offering Leo a smirk, which he returned with a glare, and a small smile, “You say that, but some how, I just might,” he stated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments are very much appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One-night stands and drinking seem to be the only solution that Leo can think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha-ha! Bet you thought I would never update this fanfiction...! (You and me both...)
> 
> Okay, so, what happened was, I had this chapter all written out, ready to post, and I was just reading through it one more time before publishing it, then I thought “This chapter is stupid.” And decided to change the whole thing. Then, I was reading over the new addition, and thought “Wait, I have a better idea.” And once again, rewrote the whole chapter...
> 
> Then I hit writers block for a very long time, because nothing was connecting properly, or made any sense.
> 
> So, yeah, sorry this took a while.

_“Leo, having one night stands won’t help you forget about your feelings,”_ Richard’s voice stated in the back of Leo’s mind.

Of course, it’s not wrong, but what else could Leo do? He was too much of a coward to confront his dad sober, and like hell would he turn to red ice to deal with his emotions again. Especially after promising Carl he’d stay away from the stuff, even going to rehab for him. So, what else could he do? Drink his emotions away, and fuck as many people it took to get his mind off of the android.

The first time, he hadn’t even gotten past a makeout session at the bar. That was a disaster. Not because of the girl. Leo found her to be pretty damn sweet, and she really was, but she seemed to realize what Leo was using her for. As soon as they had broken the kiss, she stared into his eyes, and the look that made its way onto her face seemed to break him.

“You’re thinking about someone else,” she had said, calling him out right then and there. Of course, Leo was scared shitless at the statement, quickly countering with, “No, I‘m not.”

It earned him a soft chuckle, “Oh, hon, you really think I haven’t had my fair share of crushes?” she replied, taking a small sip from her drink, “I was in your shoes once, and have met other people like you,” she explained, gently swirling the liquid in her glass with the small straw, “I know that look like the back of my hand, and I know what you’re trying to do.”

“And what would that be?” Leo asked, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow, an annoyed look taking hold of his face. He wasn’t annoyed with her, more so at himself for letting his emotions be so visible. She smiled sadly, turning her gaze from her drink to Leo, “You’re trying to forget, because deep down you’re scared that they won’t like you back.”

She wasn’t wrong. He was trying to forget. He was trying so hard to get Markus out of his mind, and it pained him to think about how much easier his life would be if he had never met the android, because as much as he wanted to forget, some part of him couldn’t deny that he loved Markus.

As a last-ditch effort, he tried to explain that he wasn’t thinking about anyone, that nothing was on his mind but her, but she wouldn’t hear it. She offered Leo one last smile, before getting up from her seat at the bar, drink in hand, “The longer you wait, the more your regret will eat away at you.”

The statement seemed to sink into Leo, burying itself in the back of his mind, only for him to bring it up every time he shared his bed with someone. Though, no matter how many times he thought about it, he continued to ignore it.

+

The second time was easier. Of course, it probably helped that the guy who caught his interest was extremely tipsy. He hadn’t seemed to notice Leo thinking of someone else, even as they went back to his apartment, and slept together. Though, despite how different this man was from Markus, Leo couldn’t help his thoughts wandering.

He had to cover his mouth at one point, because, shit, he almost fucking said it. Almost fucking _moaned_ it. Leo was thankful that he caught himself, because lord only knows the reaction he’d get from the guy he was with. Probably a shit load of questions, or maybe he’d just ignore it. After all, this was just a one night stand. It didn’t mean anything. Either way, Leo hadn’t wanted to take that chance.

Thankfully the man was quick to make himself scarce, leaving Leo to find himself in an empty bed, and an even more empty apartment in the morning.

+

The tenth time was an odd experience, to say the least. Actually, it shouldn’t really even be counted as a one night stand, considering he never actually had sex with the girl. What did end up happening was, well, he made a friend?

Leo had spotted her sitting at the bar. She was short, plump, and, for some odd reason, had a pair of headphones in, enjoying a book that she was reading. She was a strange one, but Leo decided to give her a shot, giving himself a quick pep talk and taking a long gulp from his drink, before he approached her.

He kept his introduction brief, questioning her as to why she was at a club if she wasn’t going to talk with anyone, “A friend dragged me here,” she had explained, gesturing towards a girl, who seemed to be enjoying herself on the dance floor, “Tina’s a real wild one, and I told her I’d be her designated driver.”

 _Well, there went your chances of getting laid…_ his thoughts stated, and yet despite this information, he found himself staying by her side, making small talk with her, and even cracking a few jokes, coming to the discovery that the girl he was with really liked dad jokes. Leo had to admit, it was nice just talking with someone and enjoying their company. She had given him her number, writing it down on the back of his hand, accompanied with her name, Denny, and offering him a soft smile, “Feel free to call me if you ever want to hang out again,” she had said.

It was a completely new experience for Leo. Sure, he’s made friends before, but never like this. Usually he’d just go to clubs or bars in hopes of getting laid, never really planning to make friends with anyone he had sex with. This girl though, practically invited him to be her friend. Hell, she even introduced him to Tina, who seemed just as glad to befriend him.

Not even a day after he had met her, he found himself glancing at his hand on several different occasions, silently debating on if he should call her or not. He even brought it up to Richard, who encouraged him to go out and talk to her.

+

He never did get the chance to call her.

He’d thought about it during his thirteenth try of getting Markus out of his mind and heart, but never got around to it. That was also the day he tried Red Ice for the first time, in a long time. He hadn’t wanted to try it, but a very small, frustrated part of his mind just wanted to say “Fuck it.”

So, he listened, because if nothing else worked, than why not go all the way?

He didn’t remember much of what happened after that. He didn’t remember calling Richard, or being dragged home by him. Hell, he didn’t even remember trying to sleep with him because of how damn delirious he was, but when he woke up the next morning, Richard was sure to remind him of his embarrassing escapades.

“Leo, this is getting out of hand,” Richard stated, giving him a stern look from in the kitchen, “You need to talk with your dad today, or things will never get better.”

Leo nodded absentmindedly, taking a drink from the water bottle Richard gave him, leaning back on the couch, “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” he muttered, vision still hazy, even after the affects of the drug had worn off. What time was it anyways? Leo made a small noise to get Richard’s attention, “Dude, What time is it?” he asked, rubbing his eyes.

“It’s four in the morning,” he replied, using a spatula to scramble the eggs he was cooking, “And you owe me big time for cutting work short,” he tagged on, grabbing some salt and sprinkling it on the eggs.

“Why’d you come get me, anyways?”

“Would you have prefered I  _ not _ answer you call, and leave you in whatever situation you got yourself into?”

“If it means I never tired to have sex with you, then yeah.”

Richard let out a small laugh at the reply, placing the eggs on a plate, and tossing the pan and spatula in the sink, “Eh, it wasn’t that bad,” he replied, “I mean, you tried to kiss me more than anything, while confessing how much you love Markus,” he explained, approaching Leo, and offering the plate to him as he took a seat on the couch. Leo took it, muttering a small, “Thanks,” as he started to eat the eggs. A comfortable silence settled between them, as Richard thought over his next words.

“I’m serious, though,” he finally spoke up, turning his gaze to Leo, “Go see your dad today, and talk,” he paused, noticing Leo tense up, “Or, Hell, you could just walk to his house and pace around outside. You don’t even have to go in it. You can take baby steps, but you need to talk to him, and this shit,” Richard gestured with his hand to Leo, “Needs to stop.”

“Yeah, I know, I know,” Leo sighed in exasperation, “I get it, and I will talk to him today.”

“Good,” Richard offered a smile towards Leo, “And if you need me, you know where to call.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I apologize that this took a while.
> 
> Please feel free to leave comments!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo decides to finally visit his dad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh boy, things are finally connecting into the canon universe!
> 
> This was actually one of my favorite chapters to write so far, and I’m proud with how it turned out!
> 
> Hope you enjoy reading!

Red Ice is some very addictive shit, and Leo would know. He’d dealt with it before, and after his experience last night, he wanted more. He tried to control himself, but that small, frustrated part of himself from last night came back, repeating over and over how great it was to just let go.

So, he listened, just like last night.

He supposed that’s how he found himself pacing back and forth outside of his dad’s house, taking uneven breaths as his thoughts rushed about. Some saying this was a horrible idea, others saying everything would be fine, but the one thought that seemed to stick out the most was the one that said, _You get to see Markus._

He would get to see Markus. He would finally get the chance to explain himself, and hopefully make up for lost time with his dad.

Leo took one last deep breath as he entered his dad’s house, searching the kitchen and the living room first, before he went towards the back room, where Carl kept all of his paintings.

Markus was there, brush in hand, with Carl watching him carefully. Neither had even noticed Leo come in, which he felt somewhat grateful for.

“Hey, Dad,” he spoke up, gaining the attention of the two. Immediately, he felt himself tense up at Markus’ stare, feeling his heartbeat quicken.

“Leo… I didn’t hear you come in,” Carl replied, somewhat surprised by the sudden visit. He didn't seem upset, thankfully.

Now, with those words left in the air, it was Leo’s turn to speak, but, what could he say? A lie? Maybe a half truth? He hadn’t seen his dad for over two months, so what could he possibly say to break this awkward feeling that swelled around them?

Swallowing, Leo decided to go for a lie, “Ah, I was in the neighborhood…” he explained, wondering if he should add anything, or if he said just enough. Once he started, though, his brain wouldn’t let him stop, and the words came out before he even realized what he was saying, “I thought I’d stop by… it’s been awhile, right?” he tagged on, his mind thinking a million thoughts a minute.

Carl seemed to notice his son’s distress, a worried look taking hold of his gaze, “You alright?” he asked, “You don’t look so good.”

 _Shit, shit, shit,_ shit _—_

Leo could feel sweat start to dampen the back of his neck, and his throat start to close up. What should he say? Lie again? God, he didn’t know what he was doing, and that piercing gaze Markus held on him was making his stomach twist into knots. Without a second thought, Leo let words slip from his mouth, the first thing he could think of, “Oh, yeah, yeah, I’m fine…” he replied, listening to his thoughts argue with each other in a state of panic, “Hey, listen, uh…”

_Tell him you needed to talk—_

_Say Richard sent you—_

_Ask how he’s been—_

_Tell Markus you don’t hate him—_

_Ask him for money—_

“I need some cash, Dad.”

Out of everything, out of all the thoughts in his head, he somehow managed to pull out the worst one he could have possibly brought up. It wasn’t a lie, though. He was running low on cash, and his recent spending on Red Ice definitely made a big hole in his wallet, but that’s _not_ what he came here for.

“Again?” Carl questioned, no doubt annoyed by Leo’s reasoning for showing up to his house, “What happened to the money I just gave you?”

_No, no, this isn’t want I wanted—_

_Markus is still_ staring _—_

“Uh, well, it just goes, you know?” Leo stated, letting out a nervous laugh. This isn’t at all what he wanted, but of course it’s where he ended up. Nothing could ever be easy for Leo. Everything always has to be a challenge, a chance to get him into more trouble than he wanted.

Why couldn’t he just be _honest_ ? Why was everything so hard? Why was Markus still _staring_ at him, like he was just waiting for Leo to screw up, to do something wrong?

“Yeah…” Carl muttered in reply, a piece to a puzzle clicking into place somewhere in his brain, “Yeah, you’re on it again, aren’t you?” he asked, not even a little surprised.

“No, no, no,” Leo tried, hating that this was where the conversation went, “I swear it’s not that…”

 _It’s not. I just want to_ talk _—_

“Don’t lie to me, Leo,” Carl snapped, keeping his voice even, but Leo could see the disappointment. He could see it a million miles away and he _hated_ it, _hated_ to know he was nothing more than a fuck up.

“What difference does it make?” Leo exclaimed, feeling himself crumble, his thoughts too loud for him to differentiate them any more, “I just need some cash, that’s _all_!”

This _isn’t_ what Leo wanted. This _isn’t_ what he came here for. He just wanted to talk. All he wanted was to make his relationship with his dad better, but he had to go and _fuck everything up_ —

“Sorry,” Carl stated unsympathetically, voice cutting through Leo’s frantic thoughts, “The answer’s no.”

“What? Why?”

 _Stop talking. Just_ stop _talking._

“You know why.”

Leo felt himself breaking. He couldn’t think clearly, and he couldn’t control himself anymore. He was losing himself, too buried in his own fear and anxiety. He was suffocating, and he wanted _out_ , “Yeah, yeah… I think I do know why,” his mouth was moving, but Leo didn’t want to say any of what was pouring out, “You’d rather take care of your plastic toy here than your own son, eh?” he went on, turning to face Markus, a look of pure hate filling his eyes, “Tell me, dad, what’s it got that I don’t?” Leo asked, moving closer to Markus, glaring at the android.

He didn’t want _this_. He just wanted to _talk_. He just—

“It’s smarter? More obedient? Not like me, right?”

_Stop talking—_

“But you know what? This _thing_ is not your son.”

_Stop—_

Leo felt himself go numb, barley even registering the fabric of Markus’ shirt, or the force he put on it, shoving Markus back, “It’s a fucking _machine_!” he shouted, drowning in himself.

“Leo, that’s enough!” Carl snapped. Leo didn’t turn to face his dad, keeping his eyes on Markus, “Enough,” Carl repeated, his voice seeming to go a little softer.

_I’m sorry—_

“You don’t care about anything except yourself and your goddamn paintings,” Leo felt defeated, and the longer he stayed here the more he hated himself as he desperately looked between Carl and Markus, “You’ve never loved anyone. You’ve never loved me, Dad,” he couldn’t bare to look at either of them, yet somehow he managed to stare at Carl and see the moment he broke his heart. He really was such a piece of shit.

Slowly, he felt himself turn to leave, only pausing to mutter a small, “You never loved me,” that almost seemed more directed at Markus than his dad, before he left the house.

He should just go back home, try again in a week, or maybe a month. This shouldn’t have been difficult. It really shouldn’t have, but everything just had to fall apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave your thoughts down in the comments, you lovely readers!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo is very tired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize, once again, for the long wait, and that this chapter probably kind of sucks.
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading it either way.

_“You_ what _?!”_

Leo let out a loud wince, holding the phone away from his ear at the harsh words that left Richard’s mouth, “I—Look, Richard, I know I muffed up, and I’m a piece of shit for what I did, but—”

 _“But nothing!”_ Richard cut him short, and Leo could practically feel the glare in his voice, _“You will go back to your dad’s house and_ apologize _right freaking now, or so help me, I will hog tie you and leave you at his doorstep!”_

An exhausted sigh left Leo, who pinched the bridge of his nose in mild frustration. He had just spilled all that had happened to Richard, and as much as he wished he hadn’t, if he didn’t tell him, he’d never here the end up it.

 _“Look, Leo,”_ Richard’s voice was gentler now, _“I know this isn’t easy for you, hell, it wouldn’t be easy for me, either, but…”_ he trailed off, sighing, _“You’ve gotta talk to him. Things won’t get better for either of you until you talk,_ without _Red Ice.”_

“Yeah, I… I know…” Leo muttered in reply, wrapping his finger around the cord of the pay phone.

There was a beat of silence, neither of them sure what else to say.

 _“I should probably get back to work, but, if you need anyone else to talk to, you’ve got Denny,”_ Richard tried to sound hopeful, but some part of him had doubt that Leo would contact her, and he hated himself for it.

Leo gave a small hum in reply, quietly saying a, “See ya later,” as he hung up the phone, turning his attention to the smudged ink still on his hand. He should call her, he really should, but what would he even say?

_Hey, sorry for not calling you sooner—_

_It’s Leo, from the night club—_

_Did you want to grab a coffee—_

God, no. All of those sounded horrible. He rubbed his eyes, hating the growl in his empty stomach. He needed food. He hadn’t eaten since this morning, and it was already a little past one.

“Hey, you done in there yet?” an irritated voice grumbled, lightly knocking on the glass door.

Leo would have been startled at the person’s sudden appearance, but he was too tired to function properly. He gave a low nodded, eyeing the annoyed man as he stepped out. He looked just like Elijah— _fucking_ —Kamski, only a lot more scruffy and beat to shit.

“The fuck are you staring at?” he snapped, gaze ice cold.

Leo blinked, “Uh…Sorry,” he muttered out, taking a few steps back from the shorter man, “You just look kind of like—” he paused, the man’s gaze somehow getting more piercing, daring him to finish that sentence. He shook his head, turning to find a place to eat, “Nothing, forget it,” he muttered as he left, shoving his hands into his pockets.

_Shit…_

He groaned in discomfort, stomach continuing to demand food. He seriously needed to eat, but a part of him didn’t feel like eating. He had barely any cash to eat out, there was hardly anything at his apartment. He pulled his hand out of his pocket, eyeing the phone number once again, feeling an ache in his chest.

He should call Denny, he really should, but if he did, then the first thing he’d ask her to do is pay for something he can’t afford, and no doubt she’d see him differently. She’d realize she made a mistake offering to be his friend, that he was nothing but a useless—

“Hey!” a voice called from behind him, sounding rather excited.

That wasn’t directed at him. It couldn’t be… He hardly knew anyone in this damn city. He kept walking, slow and groggy, wondering how the hell he could fix the mess he had gotten himself into.

Someone grabbed his arm, turning him slightly, and there Denny was, a big smile on her face, wearing her police uniform, “Hey, Leo,” she greeted, voice comforting.

Leo swallowed thickly, unable to think of what to say. He hadn't realized just how short she was, a full three heads smaller than him.

“I was a little disappointed when you never called, but I figured you were probably busy,” she continued on, hand still gently holding his elbow, almost in a protective manner, “How have you been? You look like hell,” she noted, offering a concerned gaze.

“Ah, I’m… I’m fine,” Leo managed to utter out, voice weak. He was really hungry… and tired… and, holy shit, where did she even come from? Was she just an illusion? Was he just talking to the air and he didn’t even know it?

Denny frowned slightly, the concern on her face still there, “You don’t look fine,” she replied, noticing the bags under his eyes and the sweat that seeped into his clothes. She squinted, “Are you—”

“Oi, Maxwell, the hell are you doing? We’ve got a job to take care of,” the scruffy version of Elijah Kamski called from beside a car—one of the older ones you could drive yourself.

Leo had to silently thank him, because at least Denny was real, and not some figment of his imagination. His mind quickly stuck to the last thing she almost said.

_Are you going through withdrawals?_

She didn’t have to finish her sentence for Leo to understand what she was asking. She’s a cop, she knows what the signs of someone on and off of Red Ice, or any drug, look like. He wanted to say yes, that he needed help, that he _wanted_ help, that he was scared, and he didn’t know what to do, but a part of him said he shouldn’t,  _Don’t make her deal with your problems, just like you did with your dad. Don’t drag her down into a situation she could easily avoid,_ his thoughts kept repeating, _This wasn’t her problem, she shouldn't have to deal with it, she shouldn't have to deal with you and your_ stupid _mistakes._

“—when you get the chance, alright?” Denny’s voice cut in through his thoughts, her smile that of concern.

Leo stared at her, opening his mouth, trying to speak, “What...?” he managed, hating that he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

“Call me, when you get the chance,” she repeated, giving his arm a light squeeze before letting go and jogging up to the Elijah Kamski lookalike.

Leo watched them exchange a few words as they got into the car, the lookalike seeming much more harsh than Denny, but she didn’t seem to mind his sour attitude, almost like she was used to it. Leo sighed, turning to continue his aimless walk, legs shaking with each step he took.

God, he was so tired…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are very much loved, so feel free to leave one as let me know your thoughts.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated, cause it let’s me know that people actually care about what ever this raging dumpster fire is.


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